Quick detachable parachute harness connector



sept. s, 1959 H, J. MoRAN 2,902,737

QUICK DETACHABLE PARACHUTE HARNESS CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 13, 1956 2 Sheets-Shet 1 INVENTOR jfaroc J Moran Sept. 8, 1959 H. J. MORAN Filed Feb. 13, 1956 QUICK DETACHABLE PARACHUTE HARNESS CONNECTOR INVENTOR N33 Haroc( J Moran nited States Patent QUICK ETACHABLE PARACHUTE coNNEc'ron Harold il'. Moran, Trenton, NJ., assignor to Switlik Parachute Company, Inc., Trenton, NJ., a corporation of New Jersey Application February 13, 1956, serial No. 564,916

4 claims. (C1. 24-211) The present invention relates to an improvement in parachute harness connectors or couplings more particularly of the quick detachable type.

Known forms of parachute harness connectors have various undesirable feaures or characteristics Which limit or impair their availability or effectiveness for the intended use. Thus, some connectors are so heavy and cumbersome as to unduly and unnecessarily burden the wearer. Some types also have Ithe disadvantage that they are -too easily released or opened by accidental means. Other embodiments having various mechanical features cost more than is justiable particularly where the more expensive factors are not necessary to speed and certainty of operation. Still other connectors which are secure when closed are too dicult to release under some conditions of use.

An object of my invention, therefore, has been to provide a compact light weight parachute harness connector which can be made at reasonable cost with maximum eiectiveness in use. More specically it is an object of this invention to make available a coupling which can be closed or completed in minimum time and by actuation of easily manipulated parts; which when in harness connecting condition presents optimum security against accidental opening or unlocking; and which can be opened or released rapidly and surely by manual pressure and the pulling or displacement of one part longitudinally in relation to another.

To achieve said objects and advantageous mode of operation a parachute harness coupling embodying my said invention broadly comprises a main body part or shank attachable to a harness strap, or the like, and having a socket recess with a latch at one end, a plug attachable to another harness strap, or the like, and having an end portion or head releasably engageable with said socket recess. A latch keeper in the form of a spring biased sleeve is mounted for limited endwise movement on said shank to and from latch keeping or locking position, retracting movement away from said position being yieldingly opposed by spring means carried by said shank. And said spring biased sleeve is releasably held in extended or latch keeping position by spring pressed detent means mounted on said sleeve and having a portion interengaging with said shank.

An embodiment of my invention incorporating the advantageous features aforesaid is described in the following specication and illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in perspective of a harness coupling or connector with the parts as arranged when employed to releasably couple two parts, as the straps, of a conventional type of harness;

Figure 2, a side elevation of the coupling shown in Figure l but with a wall of the sleeve removed to show more clearly portions of the releasable sleeve locking means and the latch or plug retaining means;

Figure 3. a fragmentary View on enlarged scale in longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Figure 2 with the position.

ff" ce 2,902,737

Patented Sept. 8, 1959 latch arranged iii operative plug head engaging and re'-A taining relation and the sleeve arranged in latch locking position;

Figure 4, a view similar `to Figure 3 but showing fthe'l parts in plug head releasing relation;

Figure 5, a fragmentary view in longitudinal section on the line 5-5 of Figure 2;

Figure 6, a transverse section on the line '6 6 f Figure 5;

Figure 7, a transverse section on the line 7-7 of Figure 5; and

Figure 8 is a longitudinal section on the line 8 8 of Figure 5, showing the parts in coupling relation but with the slide locking detents manually released to permit uncoupling.

As shown in Figure l, one form of a coupler or connector according to my invention includes a main body A adapted to be connected With a strap 10, for example of a conventional type of harness, and a coupling plug B adapted to be connected wi-th another part of the harness, as a strap 11. In use, said straps are releasably coupled or joined through said main body and said coupling plug.

A-s shown in Figure 2, the main body A comprises a shank 12 having at one end a strap receiving slot 13. The other end of shank 12, as seen more clearly in Figures 3, 4 and 8, is formed with an inner recess 14 rwhich houses a spring 15, and a socket or outer recess 14 having at its outer end a lateral opening 16, Figure 2, and an end opening 17, Figures 3, 4 and 8. Said socket recess is shaped and dirnensioned to receive the rounded and tapered terminal or head 18 of said coupling plug B. As seen in Figure l, said coupling plug may be attached to strap 11 in fixed position thereon whereas the shank 12 is conveniently slidably adjustable along strap 10 so that it may be brought to a position opposite the outer end of said plug head when the parts are to be connected.

To provide suitable means for releasably clutching or gripping said head 18 in socket recess 14, a latch 19 is pivotally mounted on shank 12 to rock on a pivot pin 20 in said lateral opening 16 to and from plug head receiving The inner surface 21 of latch 19 is shaped to substantially the same inner surface contour as that of iixed Wall portions of the shank which deiine said socket recess so that, when the parts occupy the relative positions shown in Figure 3, latch 19 is, in eifect, a part of the wall of socket recess 14.

A portion of the upper (as seen in Figures 2 and 3) or outer face of latch 19 is inclined in a direction to form a notch 22 between the head 23 of said latch and pivot pin 210. The arrangement is such that the maximum depth of notch 22 occurs where the inclined portion thereof meets the inner end wall surface of head 23. And the angle of inclination of said inclined surface and the depth of said notch are such as to permit the outer end of latch 19 to be deflected to the head releasing position thereof shown in Figure 4. The extent of such deecting or opening movement of latch 19 may in part be limited by a portion of the rear interior wall of recess 14' which forms a detent shoulder 24. The rear end face of latch 19 is of rounded cross contour such that when said latch is deflected to full open position a portion of the rear outer edge of said end face will engage said detent shoulder 24 and thereby stop or limit the extent of deilection or opening movement of said latch 19, if any, beyond that indicated in Figure 4.

As seen in Figures 2 and 5, portions of the side walls which between them define the opening 16 are cut away to form opposed notches 25. Head 23 of latch 19 is provided with lugs or ears 26 extending laterally from opposite sides of said latch 19 and are intertting, Figures 2 and 3, with said notches 2S when the parts are inl coupling position. With this arrangement, tension, if any, operating from plug head 18 through latch 19 is transmitted directly therefrom to the fixed portion of the wall of shank 12 instead of through the latch supporting pivot pin 20.

Referring to Figures 7 and 8, the socket recess 14is also formed to provide longitudindly extending lateral bearing surfaces or shoulders 27 which, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, are adapted to engage and support the latch 19 when in closed position, Figure 3.

Thus, it appears that latch 19 when subjected to pulling forces in use is snugly tted in the lateral opening 16 in such a manner as to close the socket recess 14 of shank 12 and, to such extent, is held against twisting movement in relation to said shank.

Means for releasably locking latch 19 in operative plug retaining position include a sleeve 2S slidably mounted for limited longitudinal movement on shank. 12 between the closed or locking position shown in Figure 3 and the open or plug releasing position shown in Figure 4. As shown in said figures, sleeve 28 carries a detent pin 29 which extends through opposed parallel slots 30 and 39 in said shank 12. The spring 15 in recess 14 normally presses a plunger 31 outwardly against pin 29, which in this position, Figure 3, brings one end portion of pin 29 through the open end of slot 30 to a position opposite a notch 32, Figure 2, in the inner end wall of latch 19.

Another portion of said pin 29 yieldingly engages and is stopped by the closed end 39a of slot 30', Figure 3.

Means for positively and releasably locking sleeve 28 in its extended operative position shown in Figures l and 3 include detent levers 33 mounted in parallel slots or recesses 34 at opposite sides of said sleeve 28, each of said recesses having at one end a shoulder 35 providing a seat for one end of a spring 36, Figure 6, the other end being engaged in hole 37, Figures 6 and 8, in lever 33 provided at one side of pivot 3S which supports lever 33 in said recess 34 of sleeve 28. At the other side of pivot 38, levers 33 have projecting lugs 39 arranged and adapted to extend into and engage recesses 40 in opposite wall portions of shank 12, Figures 2, and.8.

To releasably connect straps and 11 equipped as above described, the operator presses the exposed serrated ends of levers 33 toward each other to release sleeve v2.8. Said sleeve is retracted manually against the biasing effect of spring to the position shown in Figure 4, thus permitting latch 19 to rock to open or plug head receiving position when head 18 is inserted into the clutch recess. The connecting operation is completed automatically as soon as the operator lets go of sleeve 23. Under such circumstances, spring 15 forces sleeve 2S to its normal extended or latch covering position, Figure 3, where it is releasably held by lugs 39 which engage detent recesses 4d. The dimensions of the parts are such that sleeve 28 also covers slots 3i) and 346', thus protecting spring 15. To disconnect straps 16 and 11 when joined as abo-ve described, the operator again depresses the serrated end portions of levers 33 to the position shown in Figure 8 and pulls sleeve 2S to its retracted position, Figure 4, against resistance of spring 15, whereupon a longitudinally applied tension or pull on body A or plug B, or a longitudinal pull or tension on one in a direction away rom the other willdisengage head 13 from latch 19.

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the slotted head 41 joins shank 12 through a neck having faces 42 which conform in contour with the adjacent faces 43 of sleeve 28. This arrangement provides reinforcing strength at the junction of shank 12 with head 41 and permits full play or maximum relative endwise movement between shank 12 and sleeve 28 and, to that extent,lfacilitates effective disengagement of the coupling plug B from the above described clutch means carried by A, Figure l.

Although it is contemplated that, in use, plug B under tension will readily separate from shank. l2 Qf main part A when sleeve 23 is retracted to the position shown yin Figure 4, it is also desirable to form the head 18 and interior surface portions of socket recess 14' and latch 19 so that, in normal use, head 18 will, while the parts are locked or coupled, transmit tension to shank 12 primarily axially or in a longitudinal direction. For this purpose, head 18 is formed with an outwardly exposed narrow convexly curved annular face or ledge 44 Which, when the parts are related as shown in Figure 3, transmits to a limited extent the longitudinal pull or tension to a corresponding inwardly exposed concavely curved face or shoulder 45 partly on latch 19 and partly on shank 12, without, however, wholly displacing or relieving lateral or radial components of said tension force which are/transmitted from tapered and Acurvedrportions of head 18 to correspondingly contoured inner surfaces as 21 of shank 12 and latch 19 when the free end of the latter is freed from the restraining action of locking sleeve 28, as in Figure 4, so that the outer end of said latch 19 willv swing outwardly to release the convex shoulder l44 of head 18l from the concave shoulder 45 of the socket and clutch means and thus permit head 18 to be freelyseparated from coupling engagement with the shank '12.

A connector or coupling as labove described is especially effective for use with parachute harness. In this environment, my improved device affords maximum strength-and security with minimum weight. In these respects it representsimportant 'advantages over known types of connectors which are both cumbersome and heavy thus creating a weight burden out of proportion to any resultant safety or effectiveness in use. Also, a coupling dev-ice according to my-invention cannot easily be released by accidental means, since it requires not only pressure simulta-neously on both levers 33 to release the sleeve 28 but also a retracting pull on said sleeve to clear head 23 of latch 19. The arrangement described permits both of these manual operations to be made With maximum speed and effectiveness.

What is claimed is:

l. Quick detachable parachute harness coupling, comprising in combination a coupling plug of generally circular transverse sectional contour and having an .enlarged terminal head of convexly rounded contour at its base and tapering to a rounded end, a socket member adapted for releasable swivel engagement with said head, said member including a shank having at one end al base wall and spaced lateral walls extending along oppositewsides of said base wall, and a head retaining and releasing latch pivotally mounted to rock between said 'lateral walls, said base wall having its interior surface shaped to form a recess substantially semicircular in crossisectional contour and having an end portion convexly curved in central `longitudinal sectional contour to provide a flared opening at said end portion of the recess, .and other portions of said recess adjacent to said flared opening are concavely curved in central longitudinal sectional contour and intersect with said convexly curved portion to provide a bearing shoulder 'for swivelling engagement with said base ofsaid head, said latch having plug head engaging portions on its inner surface arranged opposite said inner surface of the base wall and formed witha generally semi-circular transversel sectional contour and with .a portion having a central longitudinal sectional contour symmetrically arranged in relation to the opposed interior surface portion of said base Wall, said interior surface portions of the latch being arrangedand adapted, when said latch is in head retaining position to provide, in cooperationwith said base wall, a swivel connection between said socket and said head which is adapted for ready yrelease of the head from the socket under conditions which .produce longitudinal tension between the socket member and the plug.

2. Harness coupling according to claim l and wherein said latch is held in position to engage and releasably retain said head in the socket recess by a sleeve slidably mounted on said shank when said sleeve is in latch closing position, and means for releasably locking said Isleeve in head retaining position, said sleeve locking means being manually operable to release said sleeve and permit movement thereof by manual force from latch locking to latch releasing condition and thereby permit separation of said plug head from said socket recess.

3. Harness coupling according to claim 1, and wherein said latch is a pivoted arm interlitting at its outer end with said Wall portions of said shank and is engaged and retained in operative position by a sleeve mounted on said shank to slide to and from latch releasing position, the lateral and outer end surfaces of said arm being substantially ush with adjacent lateral and end surfaces off the shank when said latch is in latching position, and said arm having an outwardly exposed lateral face positioned between its pivot and its outer end and inclined in a direction to form a notch whereby when said sleeve is moved to latch releasing position, the outer end of said latch will be free to rock outwardly until said inclined surface thereof comes into engagement with said sleeve, thereby to release said connecting plug head from said socket recess.

4. Quick detachable parachute harness coupling according to claim 1 and wherein the latch has portions which interlock with the shank when said latch is in plug head retaining position, and a latch controlling sleeve slidably mounted on 4said shank is spring-pressed lin one direction to hold said sleeve yieldingly in latch locking position, and means for releasably locking said sleeve in said latch locking position include a spring biased lever arm pivoted on said sleeve and having a detent lug on one end which is arranged and adapted to extend through an opening in said sleeve and into yielding engagement with a detent recess in said shank.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,287,112 Rotter Dec. 10, 1918 1,721,356 Schulz July 16, 1929 2,153,077 Clarke Apr. 4, 1939 2,448,817 McArthur Sept. 7, 1948 2,654,135 Grizzard et al. Oct. 6, 1953 

